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National Trail Guides UK
NATIONAL TRAIL GUIDES UK
Contents :: PENDLE WAY :: Day 4
THE PENDLE WAY IS A WONDERFULLY BEAUTIFUL TRAIL OF HISTORY
Day 4 :: From Town to Country :: Reedley to Newchurch :: 6 miles
We passed a lodge on our left and the track then became rougher. We followed it downhill and round a right-hand bend to Monkhey Farm, and there passed to the right of a building which was presently being restored. Passing around its side we encountered the usual Pendle Way signs confirming our directions and we then took a rough grass track over an unkempt field, descending slightly to Pendle Water and to an arched wooden footbridge.
The ground was wet as it had been raining earlier, and we knew there was an alternative, wet weather route on the other side of the bridge that would avoid the boggy morass that might be in store for us if we went the usual way. We decided, however, that it was not that wet and decided to stick to the correct route. This was a mistake.
We walked on a narrow grass track between two fences, to the left of Pendle Water, screened from it by a dense line of trees, and passed over a stile. As we continued forward the grass became quite high. We passed over another stile into another field with grass that was even higher, and we were now getting quite wet as the grass had not dried from the rain earlier.
We passed over another stile to a field that grew even higher, with only the faintest sign of a path and we were now walking waist deep in it. Obviously this part of the Pendle Way was not visited very often. Hidden in the long grass were stinging nettles that stung right through our clothing.
All of a sudden the ground conditions changed and we found ourselves walking through a reed bed with the path slightly submerged. We ventured through this and found our way over a wooden footbridge onto solid dry land and walked uphill along the field perimeter, with Pendle Water on our right. We then caught a glimpse through the trees of New in Pendle Bridge. We crossed the bridge on the road, and crossed to the opposite side, turning immediately left and then immediately right to walk uphill at the side of a row of terraced cottages.
As we passed the last of the cottages there was a metal gate and stile ahead of us. We passed through the stile into a field and walked along its edge to the right-hand field corner, where we were then directed to walk left along its other edge to the far corner, where there was a double stile to a large metal footbridge over the M65. We passed over quickly, not enjoying the view or the noise.
At the other end of the bridge we passed over a stile to a field and at first walked parallel to the motorway and then abruptly turned away from it and slightly uphill. We left the field at a small wooden footbridge over a stream that was now filled with nettles that reached above the footbridge, and crossed to another grassy field. Here we followed a fence and trees, keeping them on our right. On our left we could see a large industrial complex.
We crossed to another field at the next stile, and again at the next. We then walked into a small wooded area and then down to Spurn Clough, which we crossed via a wooden footbridge.
On the other side of the bridge we continued our direction, across several fields and then passed over a tarmac drive that cut right across our path. At the end of a field a Pendle Way sign directed us between short trees to a footbridge. Passing over this we came across an attractive loop of the River Calder and a reed bed, and we walked at a tangent towards the riverside.
Before coming to the riverside we crossed another footbridge. We continued our direction, passing over a stream and eventually reaching the River Calder as it meandered to the left. We encountered a large wooden footbridge that took us over the Moor isles Clough and then crossed a stile to bring us back once more onto pasture land. We were now cutting across a large loop of the river, and wending between several herds of cattle.
Near the end of the field there was a small wooden footbridge taking us to the other side of a small stream. We then walked forward towards a much larger bridge over the River Calder, but did not cross it. Here the Pendle Way met the Bronte Way and the Burnley Way. Our route was steeply uphill, alongside a fence and in the opposite direction to the bridge and river.
We walked towards Pendle Hall, keeping to the fence, crossed several stiles, each time maintaining our direction. This was a large climb, but a pleasant one. We could hear thunder in the distance and wondered if we would be caught out in it, as we had often been before. Near the top of the rise the footpath improved significantly as we shared a farm track and then a tarmac drive known as Foxen Dole Lane. We passed through two new gates, and after the second we then took a stile on our left that led diagonally across a rough field towards Higham.
As we crossed the field the rumbles of thunder grew more frequent, although we observed no lightning. The rain, however, started to come heavier and heavier and our maps now had to be pocketed. The grassy path through the field became wetter and wetter and thoroughly soaked our legs.
As we entered Higham the rain pelted down on us. We crossed over a stile onto a very busy road and turned left, crossing the road and found a gap in the hedge that was well hidden and very difficult to spot. Climbing some steps in a gap in the hedge we continued on a narrow uphill track between a fence on our left and a hedge on our right.
We emerged in Higham village between a cluster of houses and crossed the road to walk along a drive on the opposite side that was signed as the Pendle Way. This became a pleasant lane with attractive gardens on each side. We left via a metal gate and climbed through rough pasture for some distance until reaching a gate with side stile and a road. We turned right on the road and then left at the junction. Here there was a stile directing us diagonally across a field of rough pasture.
From this field there were wonderful views across to Pendle Hill and the Sabden Fold. We passed through a gap in an electric fence and followed the contour around the hill keeping above the farm below, where a watchful alsatian observed us.
We passed through a stile in the wall ahead of us and then headed diagonally to our left to reach the wall below, which we walked alongside. We continued ahead, crossing to the other side of the wall and proceeded toward Tinedale Farm, and then crossed via a stile to the other side of the wall so that we were now on its right. The path took us to the right of the farm and through a stand of trees part way up an embankment. After passing the main farm buildings and at the side of a cottage we crossed onto the farm drive to take a stile at the side of a metal gate onto a narrow track.
We pressed forward, heading toward Bull Hole, and before reaching the house there we turned left at a stile by a metal gate. This took us to a series of stiles running beside a cottage on our right and after reaching its drive we turned left to take a stile onto a field.
We walked diagonally across the field in a bee line towards the now visible houses of Newchurch. We crossed several stiles and fields before coming to a road in Newchurch opposite to a primary school.
We turned left and walked uphill, round a corner and stopped to observe St Mary's Church, which has a tower dating back to 1544. There is a grave here that is reputed to be that of Alice Nutter, one of the witches hanged at Lancaster Assizes. The 'Witches Eye' is engraved on the tower. We were going no further today and so we stopped to do a little shopping at the well known 'Witches Galore' shop in the village.
